Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Henniker vs Barre
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brattleboro has the most kids (19% under 18).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Barre has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Henniker is a college town. 27% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Brattleboro | Henniker | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
6,197Lowest |
8,412 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+27.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
31.1±6.1Lowest 20% below U.S. |
42.2±6.6 8% above U.S. |
| Brattleboro and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brattleboro and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brattleboro and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
27%±6.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$95,206±$21kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$65,625±$7k 19% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18k 23% below U.S. |
$356,700±$49kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,081±$164 23% below U.S. |
$1,093±$58Highest 23% below U.S. |
| Barre and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700 83% above U.S. |
$8,877Highest 185% above U.S. |
$5,192Lowest 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±22.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brattleboro and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 28% below U.S. |
20 minHighest 23% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brattleboro and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #33 of 70 in VT | #56 of 120 in NH | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Henniker School District | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | Spaulding Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | 10.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.